Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a floor module for a motor vehicle according, a method for assembling such a floor module, and a method for assembling motor vehicles.
European patent document EP 0 171 576 A1 discloses a floor module, wherein a floor shell is provided, which is designed as a frame-like chassis and, as well as a drive unit with respective chassis elements, also supports corresponding seating units. A non-load-bearing structure is applied to this frame-like or load-bearing floor module.
Furthermore, German patent document DE 10 2007 047 037 A1 discloses a motor vehicle body, wherein the rear section of the body is configured in such a way that one or more cross-members with structural units arranged modularly thereon can be incorporated into the body according to the currently desired equipment.
Furthermore, European patent document EP 1 839 926 A1 discloses a method for assembling a motor vehicle, wherein two variants of a part of a floor of the body can alternatively be assembled, and a spare wheel recess is pre-assembled on the one variant and a gas cylinder is pre-assembled on the other.
Furthermore, German patent document DE 37 07 684 A1 discloses a module construction for a vehicle having several individual modules, wherein a base platform is used as a module. Here, the vehicle only has the desired properties for a vehicle body, such as crash resistance and carrying capacity, after assembly, since each individual module contributes to the carrying capacity of the entire vehicle.
In the series vehicle construction of personal motor vehicles to date, it has furthermore been typical to add an interior installation to the complete shell of the motor vehicle after the shell has been produced. In parallel with this final assembly of the interior installation, which is carried out in a main assembly line, a pre-assembly of the chassis and drive typically takes place in the main assembly line, wherein these components are typically assembled and transported on a driverless transport system. After the respective shell of the personal motor vehicle has been completely equipped with the interior installation in the main assembly line or final assembly, the so-called “marriage” now typically takes place, wherein the shell of the motor vehicle is connected to the corresponding chassis and drive train.
However, currently, a further problem arises, to the effect that each vehicle is produced in a plurality of variants, in particular depending on a respective drive concept of the motor vehicle. Due to the assembly sequence that has to date been typical, these variants have considerable effects on the main assembly line, such that these are currently extremely complex and cost-intensive.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to a floor module, a method for assembling such a floor module, as well as a method for assembling motor vehicles, by means of which the production of the motor vehicles is simplified, in particular in the main assembly line.
In order to create a floor module of the type cited above, by means of which the production of motor vehicles is considerably reduced, in particular in the main assembly line, provision is made according to the invention for the floor module to be configured in such a way that the shell also forms a self-supporting body without the floor shell, and that a plurality of constructional units are arranged on the floor shell depending on a drive concept of the corresponding motor vehicle.
Individual components or even modules are understood to be such constructional units. It is possible to add, for example, heat shields, hydraulic lines or fuel lines, which are necessary on the underside of the respective floor shell depending on the respective variant of the motor vehicle, in particular the corresponding drive concept.
Drive concepts are to be understood as various drive systems for the motor vehicle, which use different energy sources, for example, combustion engines, gas engines, electric engines, fuel cell drives or hybrid drives. Air lines, electrical lines such as the main cable harness, or respective energy storage devices such as batteries, tanks or the like can, for example, be arranged on the upper side of the floor shell. Likewise, control devices can, for example, be fastened to the floor shell.
Since, according to the invention, a separate floor module is provided, which, for example, is connected to the actual shell or the remaining shell of the motor vehicle only during the marriage, this floor shell can be equipped with variant-specific constructional units in a particularly advantageous manner. These constructional units can thus be applied to the floor module in a pre-assembly in a simple manner, in particular depending on the drive concept of the motor vehicle, for example. Thus, these expensive assembly operations can be carried out outside the main assembly line in a pre-assembly, whereby the main assembly line and main line are considerably simplified and streamlined. Furthermore, by contrast to the concepts known from the prior art, it is ensured by the selection of the floor shell according to the invention that the body is self-supporting without the floor module, even before it has been assembled, and that all safety-related requirements are fulfilled.
The present floor shell is here preferably designed as a floor plate in the region of the main floor and, if necessary, of the rear part, which can be introduced into a recess provided for this within the self-supporting structure or shell of the motor vehicle.
In a further embodiment of the invention, it has been shown to be advantageous if, in particular, a plurality of constructional units, which are arranged on the floor shell, are configured according to a drive concept of the corresponding motor vehicle. The respective drive concept requires a plurality of adaptations, for example with respect to respective line relocations or energy storage devices, such that a relocation of these variants into the pre-assembly of the respective floor module has a particularly advantageous effect on simplifying the main assembly line. Here, ergonomic advantages in the pre-assembly can particularly be obtained.
Furthermore, the production time within the main assembly line can be kept virtually constant, since the formation of variants takes place during pre-assembly.
The advantages cited presently in conjunction with the floor module according to the invention also apply to the method of the present invention. Here, the method according to the present invention is furthermore particularly distinguished by the fact that the floor module is connected to the chassis and the drive train before being arranged on the shell of the motor vehicle. It is hereby particularly possible to advance the formation of variants into the pre-assembly in a particularly advantageous manner, such that the shell of the motor vehicle can be produced at least to the greatest extent possible without variants.
A further advantage is that, at corresponding interfaces, constructional units of the floor module can already be connected to corresponding constructional units on the sides of the chassis and the drive train. Thus, it is possible, for example, to connect corresponding lines on sides of the floor module to corresponding lines on sides of the chassis or drive train. Furthermore, corresponding function tests, which entail an interaction of the constructional units of the floor module, the chassis and the drive train involved, can already be carried out after the connection, before the actual connection to the shell of the motor vehicle takes place.